Story Published:
Nov 17, 2008 at 11:46 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Nov 27, 2008 at 7:39 PM EDT
"It's still sad, I still cry. I cried twice this week about her," said Denny Mack. His tears started in March, in his nursery.
"Emma, her water broke on March 13. I was very excited to be a dad. Two days later, we noticed blisters on her body. We found out she was diagnosed with Epidermolysis bullosa," he recalled.
Emma had "butterfly disease." The rare genetic disorder caused her skin to flake off, like a butterfly's wings, leaving her body open to infection.
"She lived eight weeks, six of those in the hospital," Denny said.
Losing Emma shook this minister to his core.
"It was a very trying time for my faith, I even contemplated a different line of work. I didn't know how I could go to a hospital, tell someone God is in control," he said. "I didn't really feel like that."
Losing faith, Denny started gaining weight.
"I found food was a comfort. I was already overweight before Emma was born, but I never knew I was a stress eater, but I obviously am," he said. "I've gained a lot of weight since she died."
But when it seemed like things couldn't get much worse, Denny hit a turning point and found a reason for hope.
"Now with adoption, knowing God is going to give us a baby or babies," he beamed. "I want to be healthy. I'm tired of being tired."
It seems this journey begins, and ends with the nursery.
"Our children will grow up knowing they have a little sister in heaven," Denny said.
Denny says he feels blessed to be a part of Augusta's Biggest Loser and says the weight loss will help him to be an active father when the adoption goes through.
Denny says he plans to lose more than 100 pounds.
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